ENCINITAS – After losing in the finals of the Super Girl Surf Pro in Oceanside just over a month ago, Alyssa Spencer got her revenge as part of a historic showing at the Super Girl Surf Pro in Jacksonville, Florida, on Sunday.
Spencer, an Encinitas native, won her third Super Girl Surf Pro – a total of two in Jacksonville and one in Oceanside. That achievement ties her with Coco Ho, from Hawaii, for the most Super Girl capes. Spencer thanked Ho “for all the inspiration she gave me” after the competition.
“It’s really special to have my name right there next to hers as the only girls to have won three,” Spencer, 22, said. “I came close in Oceanside, and I really wanted to get it here, so I’m grateful it happened.”
In September, Spencer lost in the finals of the Super Girl Surf Pro in Oceanside to Leilani McGonagle, a Costa Rica native. Spencer was decisive in the rematch on Sunday, registering three waves that topped McGonagle’s best. That performance also clocked in as the highest-scoring heat of the day.
Spencer faced Eden Walla of San Clemente in the final.
Walla’s run to the final included besting Ella McCaffray, also an Encinitas native, in the round of 16. McCaffray had defeated Walla in the quarter-finals en route to winning the Virginia Beach Pro in August.
Spencer outlasted Walla on Sunday after a back-and-forth final in challenging conditions. After Spencer got out to an early lead, Walla responded with a strong backhand – and the highest scoring wave of the final – to take the lead. That lead lasted into the 19-minute mark, when Spencer responded with a backhand ride of her own to retake the lead she would not relinquish.
After the competition, Walla said it was “super cool” to have reached back-to-back finals, even though she ended up losing both to Spencer.
“She’s an amazing surfer,” Walla said of Spencer. “I’m just happy to be here again in the finals. I feel like I’ve been really consistent the last few contests, and that’s a big step for me.”
Spencer is currently ranked 11th in the World Surf League’s Challenger Series. The top 17 at the end of the year qualify for the Challenger Series the following year.
With Sunday’s Super Girl win, Spencer also moved into first place in the North American region of the WSL Qualifying Series rankings. Walla ranks second, McGonagle fifth and McCaffray sixth in those standings as of Nov. 9. The top four from this year’s North American region of the Qualifying Series also qualify for next year’s Challenger Series, so Spencer would be double-qualified if the rankings held.
